Public comment sought on clean water enactment

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking public review and comment on two plans that lay out steps the state must take to improve water quality in Lake Champlain.

The two plans — the Total Maximum Daily Load Phase II Draft Plan for north Lake Champlain and the south Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan — also explain how landowners, organizations and communities can access government funding and technical assistance for clean water initiates.

The plans can be found at dec.vermont.gov/watershed/map/basin-planning. Comments can be made by contacting Ethan Swift (ethan.swift@vermont.gov; (802) 490-6141) or Karen Bates (karen.bates@vermont.gov; (802) 490-6144.

The goal of the Total Maximum Daily Load plan is to establish targets for phosphorus loading from northern Lake Champlain drainages and ensure those targets are met across different sectors that contribute to phosphorous loading, like agriculture and impervious land development.

The south Lake Champlain Tactical Basin Plan provides an overall assessment of the health of the south Lake Champlain basin and implementation strategies to address high-priority stressors like channel erosion, invasive species and excess nutrients. The plan sets priorities for meeting targets for phosphorus loading from the south lake and all the waters in its drainage basin.

The plans are the result of collaboration with local, state, federal and non-profit partners.